Multiple wrasses for 40 long

[blaxsun]

Hopefully yours stays submissive to your other wrasses and doesn’t turn on them one day.

Every other wrasse has a minimum 3-4x mass and size ratio over six, so I'm not overly concerned. As I indicated, I think it's more the environment rather than the fish. I have 160 gallons and a maze of tunnels, caves and other places for it to explore - so there's never a dull moment (it's always on the prowl, hunting pests...).

 

[OrionN]

Generally we avoid recommending six lines in wrasse gangs unless they’ll be the only wrasse. This is a species which can be nasty with other wrasses, especially the rock sleeping wrasses such as fairies and flashers. I have personally witnessed more aggressive sixlines than I have with peaceful sixlines. We also now have the option of a sixline looking wrasse that has none of the aggression - Pink Streaks.
View attachment 2909825

Without a doubt, @i cant think is right on aggressiveness of the 6-line, but this fish is very beautiful. There is no comparison between a 6-line and Pink Streaks in term of look.

 

[jkcoral]

Without a doubt, @i cant think is right on aggressiveness of the 6-line, but this fish is very beautiful. There is no comparison between a 6-line and Pink Streaks in term of look.
View attachment 2917559

“What did he just say?!”

 

[OrionN]

In term of aggressiveness, there is no comparison either.
My current 6-line wrasse I inherit him from a friend that move out of the country and does not want his fish go back to a LFS or care for by a novice reefer. I have them in my QT system now. I vowed not to keep 6-line wrasse again about 20 years ago.
20 years ago, I was keeping a 420 gal system, full of life and coral. In this rather large tank, I had a pair of Mandarin Dragonette and a pair of 6-line wrasse. They were doing great as was all my animals, fat, healthy and happy. All 4 were spawning regularly. They totally ignored each other for 18 months.
One day, right in front of me, the 6-line pair attached my female Mandarin. They coordinated their attack, and it was over in a second. The 6-line attacked within a fraction of a second, one peck out the Mandarin eye, and the other the other eye even before the Mandarin have any time to reacted. The Mandarin female was blinded before she had time to swim even an inch.
After the attack, they totally ignored her, and ignored the male Mandarin, and go on their merry life. This was very unnerving for me. I spend the time and work needed to remove the pair from the tank and back to the LFS for free. I euthanized the Female Mandarin after a few weeks when it was clear to me that she will not recover her eyesight and she became emaciated.

Heel our warning, get a 6-line wrasse at the peril of your other fishes.

 

[OrionN]

@jkcoral
Self-evidence on the beauty of these two fishes.

 

[SaltyT]

In term of aggressiveness, there is no comparison either.
My current 6-line wrasse I inherit him from a friend that move out of the country and does not want his fish go back to a LFS or care for by a novice reefer. I have them in my QT system now. I vowed not to keep 6-line wrasse again about 20 years ago.
20 years ago, I was keeping a 420 gal system, full of life and coral. In this rather large tank, I had a pair of Mandarin Dragonette and a pair of 6-line wrasse. They were doing great as was all my animals, fat, healthy and happy. All 4 were spawning regularly. They totally ignored each other for 18 months.
One day, right in front of me, the 6-line pair attached my female Mandarin. They coordinated their attack, and it was over in a second. The 6-line attacked within a fraction of a second, one peck out the Mandarin eye, and the other the other eye even before the Mandarin have any time to reacted. The Mandarin female was blinded before she had time to swim even an inch.
After the attack, they totally ignored her, and ignored the male Mandarin, and go on their merry life. This was very unnerving for me. I spend the time and work needed to remove the pair from the tank and back to the LFS for free. I euthanized the Female Mandarin after a few weeks when it was clear to me that she will not recover her eyesight and she became emaciated.

Heel our warning, get a 6-line wrasse at the peril of your other fishes.

I remember reading your story about your six line taking the eyes of your mandarin (maybe on RC?). I've had to help more than a few clients catch those little demons after they turned so I understand the aggravation you went through to get those terrors out.

 

[PR_nano]

I would take a look at the Vanuatu variant which is just slightly nicer than the Fijian in my opinion

After looking it up, it's definitely a nicer variant.

No love for a sixline?

I like them, but already have a Pink Streak

I would not put a pintail in either of those small tanks.

I read they're super active. It's good to know from others like you that have first-hand experience with them.
It's just confusing for me to see it listed in the commonly reference compatibility chart as requiring smaller tank size compared to other fairy wrasses.






I did order a new tank 36x18x18 so still looking for another wrasse. Changed the potential stocking a bit.


Yellow watchman goby (own)
Pink Streak Wrasse (own)
Red Firefish (own)
TBD wrasse 1 or 2 (maybe Possum)
Blue Star or Black Leopard Wrasse
Royal Gramma
Cherub Angelfish